Machine for picking pea-pods from vines.



No. 733,215. PATENTED JULYY7, 1903.

= G. W. KELLEY.

MACHINE FOR PIOKING PEA PODS PROM VINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1902.

no MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented 7, lQO.

PATE T @EFIQE.

GEORGE W. KELLEY, OF RUSSELL, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,215, dated July 7, 1903. 7

Application filed November 6, 1902- Serial Neal 30,329. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. KELLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Russell, in the county of lVarren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Picking Pea-Pods from Vines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for detaching or picking pea-pods and the like from vines, and the purpose of the same is to provide a simple and effective organization of elements for expeditiously separating pods from vines and directing the separated pods into a receptacle.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the upper part of the machine.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts in the views.

The numeral 1 designates a platform or base having standards 2 rising from one end thereof, connected at their lower extremities by a cross-strip 3 and at their upper ends by a horizontally-disposed cap-strip 4:. Under the cap-strip 4: and between the upper extremities of the standards 2 a downwardly deflected or curved chute 5 is secured, having a receiving pan or trough 6 projecting forwardly far enough in advance of the capstrip 4: to receive the pods as separated from the vines. The bottom of the chute is continuous with the bottom of the pan or trough, and the pods as they fall into the latter slide downwardlythrough the chute and fall from the outlet end 7 into a suitable receptacle. Theleap-strip ahas a metallic plate 8 set therein and secured against movement, and vertically movable through the opposite ends of the said plate and the bottom of the pan or trough below are arms 9, forming portions of a yoke 10, from which a rod or shank ll vertically depends to the rear end of a treadle 12, pivoted at the center of the upper edge of the cross-strip 3. The upper ends of the arms 9 are connected by a doffer-plate 13,

ing the operation of the machine.

and rising from the plate 8 are a series of pins 11, normally projected through the slide. The slide is freely movable on the pins, and the latter form a comb, through which the vines are drawn to separate the pods therefrom. Also rising from the plate 8, close to the points where the arms 0 move therethrough, are guide-rods 15, which loosely extend through the doffer-plate 13 and have outcurved ends 16 to limit the upward movement of said doifer-plate.

In the operation of the device the dofferplate 13 is depressed by the operator standing on the platform 1 through the medium of the treadle 12. This depression of the doffer-plate clears the major portion of the pins or strippers 1-1, and the vines are disposed in the spaces between the said pins or strippers. It will be seen that the pins or strippers conjointly form a comb, and the outturned end guide-rods 15 serve as gatherers to draw the vines inwardly toward the comb. After the vines are placed in the spaces between the pins or strippers on the comb they are then drawn longitudinally over the upper portion of the machine to remove the pods therefrom, the said pods when detached falling into the pan or trough 6 and then passing out through the chute 5.

The improved machine may be found ap plicable for purposes other than that stated, and in the assemblage of the several parts care will be taken to secure the same in such manner as to offer considerable resistance to strain, particularly the comb. The lower ends of the pins ll are suitably fastened in the'metallic plate 8, and the guide-pins 15 will be so proportioned as to length relatively to the pins let that the slide 13 will never be coine disengaged from the said pins 14 dur- It is also obvious that changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a machine of the class set forth, the

combination of a lower platform having standards rising therefrom, horizontally-disposed connecting means for the upper ends of the standards, a comb supported on the said connccting means and comprising a series of vertically-disposed immovable pins arranged between end gatherers which are elongated and outwardly curved at their upper ends, a doffer-plate vertically movable on the comb, a chute disposed below the comb and the-said connecting means and having an open receiving extremity, and a treadle mechanism connected to the doffer-plate.

2. In a machine of the class set forth, the combination of a supporting means, a chute with a pan or trough at the upper end of said supporting means, avertically-disposed comb having immovable members and located above the pan or trough, a doffer-plate vertically movable over the comb, a rod having a yoke at its upper extremity, the terminals of the yoke being attached to the opposite extremities of the dofier-plate, and a treadle' secured to the lower end of the said rod.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. GEORGE W. KELLEY; WVitnessesi W. A. KELLEY, G. M. KELLEY. 

